Electric door opener



April 19, 1932.

F. F. SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC DOOR OPENER- Filed Oct. 1, 1930 Patented Apr. 19, 1932 PATENT OFFICE FRANK F. SCHNEIDER, OF RIDGEFIELD, CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC DOOR OPENER Application filed October 1, 1930. Serial No. 485,702.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric lock-strikes, and has particular relation to keepers or strikeplates for door latch bolts whereby the strike or latch bolt engaging portion of the keeper may be electrically'released from a remote point whereby to unlock a door and enable the same to be swung open.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the character and the purpose stated and which is simple in construction and includes but few operating parts each of which is of sturdy construction whereby the device is not likely to get out of order.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of parts, in a device having the charac teristics stated, whereby any pressure applied to a pivoted part is applied practically in line with the pivots of the parts whereby the device may not be easily forced, the device itself having its closing plates riveted in place to prevent tampering with its working parts.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention comprises certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will later more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings a satisfactory embodiment of the, invention is shown and will hereinafter be described in detail. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope ofthe appended claim. 1

In the drawings: a

Fig. 1 is a view showing a portion of a door and door frame with the improved lockstrike in place, the latter being shown with one side closing plate removed;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5is a sectional view showing the latch bolt engaging element or strike in latch bolt releasing position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the strike or latch bolt engaging element removed;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the part shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the kicker-piece Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the part shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the door pusher removed.

Referring in detail to the drawings, at 11 is shown a portion of a door frame and a portion of a door is shown at 12. On its inner side the door may be equipped with a metal plate or strip 13 against which a plunger 14 of a door opener or pusher 15 may operate. The opener 15 is preferably set into the door frame 11 as best shown in Fig. 2 and includes a plate 16 having an angularly disposed end portion 17 through which the plunger 14 operates. Any suitable means, as for example screws 18, may be used for securing the plate in place, the screws being passed through openings 19 and into the door frame.

A lug 20 on the inner face of the plate 16 may be formed by striking up a portion of the plate leaving an opening as at 21, and this lug 20 provides a bearing for the rear end portion of the shaft 22 to the front end of which is secured the plunger 14. A coil spring 23 surrounds the shaft 22 and bears at its respective ends against the lug 20 and the inner end of the plunger 14, the spring normally tending to expand and project the plunger as shown in Fig. 10. It will be understood that owing to the location of the opener 15 as soon as a door is unlatched the spring 23 operating through the plunger 14 will open the door to some extent, the plunger assuming the dotted line position shown at 14 in Fig. 2 while the door will be moved into a position at 12, in the same figure.

The improved lock-strike is mortised into the door frame as shown and this strike comprises a frame 24 including a front plate 25, a rear plate 26 and top and bottom plates 27 and 28. Partitions or shelves 29 and 30 extend in opposite directions within the frame, the partitions being supported respectively by the front plate 25 and the rear plate 26 and being connected at their adjacent ends as by the vertically disposed portion 31.

Mounted on a pivot 32 extending between the top plate 27 and the partition 29, is astrike or latch bolt engaging element 33 shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7. This element is mounted as by means of cars 34 having openings 35 for the pin 32 and the element has a curved face or surface 36 to per mit the return of the door latch bolt 37 as the door moves to closed position. However, the opposite face, that is the face 38 of the strike or latch bolt engaging element 33, may be substantially flat as shown to provide an engaging surface for the latch bolt 37 to prevent the door being forced.

A coil spring 39 is disposed on the shaft 32 and one of its ends as 40, engages the latch bolt engaging element while its other end is anchored as at 41 (see Fig. 2). Obviously, this spring normally tends to move the element 33 in a clockwise direction and when the element is moved to a releasing position as shown in Fig. 5 the spring 39 returns it to normal position. Movement of the element 33, either to releasing position or its return movement to normal or latching position, is more or less controlled by the means of lug 42 carried by and preferably formed integral with the element. The operation of this lug will later be more fully described.

A pivot rod 43 extends between the top plate 27 and the partition 30 and pivotally mounted on this rod is a kicker piece 44 shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. The kicker piece 44 is provided with spaced openings 45 for the reception of the pin 43 whereby the kicker piece is pivotally mounted. Further, the kicker piece includes a vertically disposed angle portion 47 and a horizontally disposed arm or portion 48 arranged substantially at right angles to the portion 47. At its free end the arm or portion 48 carries a depend ing lug'49 the function of which will later be described and inwardly of its end this portion or arm 48 carries an upstanding lug 50.

Below the partitions 29 and 30 is an electro magnet M including an armature 51 pivoted as at 52. This armature 51 carries a leaf spring 53 of brass or other non-magnetizable material, the spring being positioned to prevent actual contact between the armature and the magnets and to return the armature to normal position when the magnet is de-energized whereby to prevent freezing of the armature on the magnet. Further, the armature includes a lug or projection 54 engageable with the plate 25 to limit the movement of the armature away from the magnet under the influence of the spring53 and to properly position the armature.

Within a recess of the rear wall 26 of the frame 24 there is mounted a block of insulation 55 carrying binding posts 56 to which connection may be made for supplying current to the magnet M through lead in wires 57. When the parts are assembled as shown and described, side plates 58 are fitted to the frame 24 and these side plates close the space between the frame plates. To prevent tampering with the mechanism these plates 58 are preferably riveted to the partition 30 as at 59.

hen the parts are assembled as described and with the door closed and locked, the parts will occupy the full line positions shown in Fig. 2. With the parts in such position the latch bolt engaging element 33 is held against clockwise movement under the infiuence of the spring 39 both by the latch bolt 37 pushed by spring 23, and by the fact that the lug 42 limits the movement of the element 33 since it would engage the pivot rod 43. Movement of the strike or lat-ch bolt engaging element 33 in a counter clockwise direction is prevented, this being move ment of the member to releasing position, since the lug or means 42 engages the up right portion 47 of the kicker piece at the point 60. The kicker piece itself is normally held against movement about the pivot rod 43 by engaging between the depending lug 49 and an upstanding lug 61 on the upper edge of the armature 51.

Thus when the armature is in normal position the latch engaging element or strike 33 is held against movement towards its releasing position by engagement of element 42 against kicker piece 44 which is in turn held against movement by lug 49 engaging lug 61 on armature 51. However, when the magnet M is energized as by a push button in any remote location as in an apartment, the armature 51 will rock about its pivot 52 moving the lug 61 out of the path of the lug 49. When this has occurred spring 23 will operate through plunger 14 and against the action of spring 39 push the door toward open position, rocking the element 33 about its pivot. As this element 33 moves in a counter clockwise direction the lug 42 press ing against the upright portion 47 of the kicker piece, as at the point 60, will rock the kicker piece about the pivot rod 43 as an axis.

Movement of the element 33 towards releasing position is limited since the element will engage the vertical portion or bridging piece 31 between the partitions 29 and 30, but it is allowed sufiicient movement to permit latch bolt 37 to be released and pass beyond element 33. When the door latch bolt 37 moves beyond the element 33 this element is again free to return to normal position and it is returned to that position under the influence of its spring 39. During the return movement of the latch bolt engaging element 33, its means or lug 42 will engage the lug 50 on the arm 48 of the kicker piece and the kicker piece will be swung back to its normal position. As previously stated this clockwise movement or movement toward normal position of the element 33 will be limited by engagement of its lug 42 with the pivot rod 43. As the kicker piece is being returned toward normal position its lug 49 will engage the cammed or inclined surface 62 of the lug 61 and rock the armature 51 about its pivot against the action of spring 53 whereby to move the armature out of the path-of the kicker piece. When the kicker piece has passed beyond the armature, the armature moves back to its normal position andpresents a straight edge to the lug 49, locking the kicker piece against movement in that direction which will permit movement of the latch bolt engaging element to releasing position.

Attention is directed to the fact that aside from the armature there are but two moving parts in my improved lock-strike, these being the latch bolt engaging element 33 and the kicker piece 44. Further it is to be noted that the kicker piece engages the armature substantially in line with the armature pivot whereby pressure applied to the pivot piece is transmitted straight to the pivot and not through a leverage thus making it difficult to force the device and giving maximum holdin effect. It is also to be noted that the lug 42 of the latch bolt engaging element engages the upright portion of the kicker piece on a short distance to one side of the pivot of the kicker piece whereby very small leverage will be had in an effort to force the device.

In the movement of the parts toward nor mal position after they have been removed to releasing position a certain leverage is obtained to assist in the movement of the kicker piece by the lug 42. This is true since the upstanding lug 49 on the arm 48 is spaced from the pivot rod 43. The action just described takesvplace as is readily apparent from Fig. 5 wherein the lug 42 is shown as engaging the lug 50 during the return movement of the latch bolt engaging element under the influence of its spring 39.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is In an electric lock strike, a kicker piece having a body portion and-spaced parallel arms extending laterally therefrom,-a pivot rod passing through said arms spaced from the body portion to provide an offset pivot support therefor, a spring biased pivoted latch bolt engaging element, a projecting lug on the latch bolt engaging element normally positioned between the body portionof the kicker piece and its pivot rod and engaging said body portion to prevent biasing movement of the latch bolt engagin element under action of the latch bolt an to swing the kicker piece on its pivot when the kicker piece is released, said lug adapted to engage the pivot rod to limit its movement in the opposite direction, electro-magnetically releasable means normally holding said kicker piece against swinging movement by the lug on said latch bolt engaging element in move ment of said element against the spring bias under pressure from the latch bolt, a shoulder on one arm of the kicker piece, and means on said latch bolt engaging element to engage said shoulder to move the kicker piece to normal position as the latch bolt engaging element moves under its spring bias.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK F. SCHNEIDER. 

